The leader of the Workers' Party, Pedro Saracho, warned that the closure of the Volver al Trabajo programme will leave more than one million people without assistance in the country, and over 10,000 in Catamarca.
The leader of the Workers' Party Pedro Saracho launched harsh criticisms against the national government's economic policy, asserting that the labour market is destroyed and that workers are suffering a constant deterioration of their conditions. In an interview with Radio El Esquiú 95.3, Saracho stated that "there is a situation of economic collapse" that hits the most vulnerable sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, and industry the hardest.
Saracho questioned the official optimism and pointed out that "workers are being laid off" and that salaries are insufficient to cover basic needs. "Those who have fared poorly during these three years of government have fared very poorly," he emphasised, while warning that job loss is not a temporary phenomenon but a structural trend.
The end of Volver al Trabajo and its consequences
One of the most critical points of the interview was the announced closure of the Volver al Trabajo programme, which according to Saracho will leave one million people without any type of assistance across the country. In Catamarca, the figure would rise to over 10,000 beneficiaries who will lose state support.
The leader rejected the alternative proposed by the government, based on training vouchers, considering that "it is not clear how it will work" and that the real problem is not training, but the lack of job opportunities. "The problem is not training, the problem is the labour market," he insisted.
Miserable wages and the elimination of the PASO
Saracho also focused on the Social Accompaniment programme, whose current amount of 78,000 pesos he described as "a miserable little amount" that is not enough to cover minimum needs. For the leader, this figure highlights the lack of priority the government gives to social protection.
On the political front, Saracho expressed his opposition to the elimination of the PASO, arguing that the ruling party seeks to avoid an electoral defeat. "The problem with the PASO for them is that they know they do not have the conditions to be re-elected," he stated. He also predicted a significant drop for President Javier Milei in the upcoming elections.
Demand for resources for Catamarca
The leader of the Workers' Party also called on Catamarca legislators to take a firmer stance against the national government to demand the funds committed to the province. "We need resources to move forward because we are in a very bad situation," he said, accusing national authorities of lying about the employment situation.
For Catamarca workers, Saracho's warning represents a scenario of uncertainty: the loss of social programmes like Volver al Trabajo could worsen the crisis in households that are already struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the national government has yet to detail the mechanism for the training vouchers or the implementation timelines.
Saracho's interview leaves a concrete fact on the table: over 10,000 Catamarqueños could be left without assistance in the coming weeks if the programme closure goes ahead. The discussion about the economic model and social protection is far from being settled.
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